The Golden Ball: Diego Maradona

The Greatest player of all time, The Golden Ball: Diego Maradona is considered the God of soccer. He is a retired Argentine player whose career has been garnished with a lot of negative controversies but he had stood above all of them and proved his worth to the world. He share a proud moment with The Black Pearl (read: Pele) as the FIFA player of the twentieth century Award. His manoeuvre and charm leaves everybody in stupefaction. His unconventional moves and his grip and love for the ball are clearly evident from his playing methodology. His goals are controversial too: his first goal was termed superficially as the ‘Hand of God’ and his second goal was titled ‘The Goal of the Century’. Clearly he was the ultimate rider of the football game we enjoy today. Born to a poor and illegitimate couple, Maradona is one such example who dismissed his weaknesses and gracefully created strengths. He never let his social or economic backwardness affect him or his game. It is believed that he had such a beautiful relation with the football that whenever he used to dribble the ball through his defence, it seemed as if the ball was tied to his boots. His teammates very proudly boast of being associated with this God of Football. No doubt he was known as The Golden Boy amongst one and many.

The Golden Ball: Diego Maradona

The Golden Ball: Diego Maradona

Maradona owns a fan following of millions of football spectators. His two goals in the Belgium in the World Cup of 1986 were the harbingers of a fruitful career for him. It is predicted by various football specialists that Lionel Messi is the twenty first century Maradona for the masses. They have found various similarities in the game of these two biggies. The strength of their legs and their swift movements are their success speakers. Lionel Messi very modestly claims that even if he has some million years to play his game, he would never reach the level of Maradona nor does he want to since he considers him as his mentor. Michel Platini made a very interesting remark on the greatness of this football player. He remarked that The Golden Boy’s understanding of the ball was unimaginable. What he thought of doing with an orange, Maradona could do the same with the football. He is surely the God of Argentina with people saying that they first idolised him and afterwards will crucify him. His game has worked wonders for him and he now is the legend everybody admires. His addiction to cocaine too didn’t stop him from showing his gratitude towards his loving game. He took a rehabilitation plan in Cuba and gave up his addiction for another addiction; his addiction with the Golden Ball(read: football).

He is surely the King with various Golden Balls and Silver Shoes by his side. Diego seems to have gone way too far than he ever imagined. He is the true preacher of hard work, dogged determination and a dauntless effort for his passion. During that time soccer ran in the blood of the Argentines and that’s evident from the very fact that he, along with his two younger brothers, started playing this game at a very early phrase of life. His talent and his passion were discovered at a tender age of eleven. One can surely imagine a small Maradona playing with a football.

Sometimes life offers us various close choices to figure out the best. Be it Tendulkar or AB de Villiers; Guardiola or Mourinho; Pele or Maradona; they are all legends worth the top spot. Let’s just conclude by saying that both Pele and Maradona are the legends the world graciously loves.